2008 Looms Ahead - Will Pro-Life Conservatives Have a Horse in the Race?
"If Rudy is Talking Jesus, He's Going to Run"  Andrew Sullivan's headline
for his February 19, 2006 column for the London Times should provoke some
real soul-searching on the part of Republican social conservatives who
admire Rudolph Giuliani for his leadership in the aftermath of the 2001
attacks on the World Trade Center. While Giuliani is credited with cleaning
up New York City prior to the 9/11 attacks and for his steady hand during
and after the worst thing that has ever befallen that city, the fact that he
is out in left field on social issues should not be overlooked. It should
not be overlooked because Rudy Giuliani just may run for the Republican
presidential nomination in 2008.

Mr. Sullivan reported that Giuliani addressed the evangelical
Global Pastors Network in Orlando, Florida in January. He describes the
network as "a large group, aiming to set up 5m churches worldwide in the
next decade. Its leaders believe the apocalypse is coming soon and that
their efforts at evangelization might help accelerate the moment of rapture,
when good Christians will be whisked to heaven to meet Jesus."

Sullivan found none of this "particularly noteworthy." What he
did find surprising was that the "the pro-choice, pro-gay, divorced Catholic
former Mayor of New York" was addressing them.

Giuliani reportedly "gushed" over his audience. When asked if
he was running for president he said: "Only God knows. I'll know better in
a year whether I can fully commit to that process." When the pastors said
they would pray for him, Giuliani replied, "I appreciate you. I can tell
you from my heart how much I appreciate what you are doing: saving people,
telling them about Jesus Christ and bringing them to God."

Mr. Sullivan's view of all of this was, "Take it from me: if
Giuliani is talking Jesus, he's running for president."

Mitt Romney on Abortion
Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney is being touted
by some as a potential 2008 presidential candidate. Again, we have a
politician who has recently sent mixed signals as to where he stands on the
life issues. He likes to say he is "pro-life." However, while he says he
opposes the cloning of human embryos, he supports using embryos generated in
IVF clinics for experimentation.

On abortion, the following quotes should give social conservative pro-lifers
pause:

"In an October 1994 debate with US Senator Edward M. Kennedy, Democrat of
Massachusetts, Romney said: 'I believe that abortion should be safe and
legal in this country. I have since the time that my mom took that position
when she ran in 1970 as a US Senate candidate. I believe that since Roe v.
Wade has been the law for 20 years we should sustain and support it."
(boston.com, "Romney releases mother's statement on abortion issue.'"
6/28/05)

"While I've said time and again that I oppose abortion, I've also indicated
that I would not change in any way the abortion laws of Massachusetts, and
I've honored my promises," Romney said during a press conference at the
Radisson Center of New Hampshire before a scheduled speech to the New
Hampshire Federation of Republican Women. (Boston Globe, 6/4/2005)